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Power of Writing in Spring Fest Film

from left: Chen Daoming (Lu) & Gong Li (Yu); Watch COMING HOME for free during the 10th Spring Film Festival at the Shang Cineplex, Shang Rila Plaza Mall from January 29-February 7, 2016.

Written by

Jude Bautista

Yu (Gong Li) could not contain her excitement. The box was heavy almost like a treasure chest. What they saw inside was even more precious. They were tattered pages, different colors and sizes, cardboards and so on all with words carefully written down. They were letters from her husband Lu (Chen Daoming) she had not seen for 20 years. She asked why are they different papers and tattered? Perhaps he looked for whatever he could find to write on. Why were the letters so small and illegible? Perhaps it was dark and tried to write with difficulty. She treasured each one of them. The stories of his daily struggles putting together her own tattered memories of her husband she still hopes to see.

Audiences can watch the film COMING HOME by director Zhang Yi Mou for free at Shang Cineplex, Shang Rila Plaza Mall from January 29-February 7, 2016. It is one of ten titles you can choose from at the 10th Spring Film Festival.

Watch COMING HOME by Zhang Yimou for free during the 10th Spring Film Festival at the Shang Cineplex, Shang Rila Plaza Mall from January 29-February 7, 2016.

Zhang Yi Mou is one of China’s most well-known and celebrated directors having won awards at the Cannes, Venice and the Berlin International Film Festival. He based the film COMING HOME on a novel by Geling Yan entitled The Criminal Lu Yanshi. In an interview, he revealed that he took dramatic license and chose certain portions of the novel, even switching the ending to start the movie.

Director Zhang Yimou is China’s most celebrated filmmaker. Watch COMING HOME for free during the 10th Spring Film Festival at the Shang Cineplex, Shang Rila Plaza Mall from January 29-February 7, 2016.

Mao’s poster was one of the symbols that sparked the Cultural Revolution. Watch COMING HOME for free during the 10th Spring Film Festival at the Shang Cineplex, Shang Rila Plaza Mall from January 29-February 7, 2016.

Cultural Revolution

Lu Yanshi is a professor sent to a labor camp during a tumultuous period in Chinese history: Cultural Revolution. When he returns to his wife and daughter he discovers that wife Feng Wanyu played by Gong Li is suffering from ‘psychogenic amnesia’ or what may be commonly be perceived these days as Alzheimer’s disease. She could no longer recognize her husband Lu and often has short-term memory lapses. It’s basically a love story set in a very painful time in Chinese history.

Chen Daoming (Lu); Watch COMING HOME for free during the 10th Spring Film Festival at the Shang Cineplex, Shang Rila Plaza Mall from January 29-February 7, 2016.

Lu as an intellectual was sent to a labor camp by virtue of his profession. Anyone who was capable of questioning Maoist ideals was arrested: academics, educational leaders, doctors and lawyers etc. After the failure of the economic programs by Mao Tse Tung he felt his prestige and hold in the Communist party was diminished. In order to purge his ‘perceived’ enemies he spoke against the bourgeoisie in government and later on widened this to a class of people. Officials like Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiao Ping “kept their seats on the Politburo Standing Committee but were in fact sidelined from day-to-day party affairs.” This led to the destruction of Confucian temples, religious sites and conflict within families themselves children turning in their parents.

Ballet performance entitled The Red Detachment of Women; Watch COMING HOME for free during the 10th Spring Film Festival at the Shang Cineplex, Shang Rila Plaza Mall from January 29-February 7, 2016.

The Cultural Revolution lasted from 1966-76. The film focuses on how it affected one family. Mao is a dominant figure his face on pins on their lapels and even a bust in their living room. While Lu survived the ordeal, the emotional scars are greater on his family.

from left: Chen Daoming (Lu) & Gong Li (Yu); Watch COMING HOME for free during the 10th Spring Film Festival at the Shang Cineplex, Shang Rila Plaza Mall from January 29-February 7, 2016.

Gong Li leads cast

Gong Li has shot to fame from Raise the Red Lantern in 1991 and has gone to Hollywood projects, MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA (2005), MIAMI VICE (2006) and HANNIBAL RISING (2007). We always see her as a glamorous, hot seductress having been part of People Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful. Her work in FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE is considered as one of the greatest performances of all time by Premiere magazine. This is quite a turnaround for her. Li is able to show her emotional range in this role. From the joy of good news of seeing her long husband to the subtle facial expressions of disappointment in finding someone else, Li’s touching performance is what carries this film.

Gong Li (Feng Wanyu); Watch COMING HOME for free during the 10th Spring Film Festival at the Shang Cineplex, Shang Rila Plaza Mall from January 29-February 7, 2016.

Playing her husband is Chen Daoming. For Filipinos, Chen Daoming’s features will remind them of a young Joonee Gamboa who has had numerous critically acclaimed roles and a much sought after voice talent. Gamboa was most recently cast in TV5’s Baker King as Master Javier. Chen Daoming had a herculean task of personifying a husband trying to overcome great tragedies in his life. The moments where he breaks down were not overdone. His love for Yu was exhibited in the everyday actions such as watching over her from a distance. This is where he shines convincing us of his love.

Chen Daoming (Lu); Watch COMING HOME for free during the 10th Spring Film Festival at the Shang Cineplex, Shang Rila Plaza Mall from January 29-February 7, 2016.

Dan dan, daughter of Lu and Yu is played by newcomer Zhang Huiwen. Director Zhang Yimou admits that among the characters Dan dan is the one he most identifies with. He was the same age as her during the Cultural Revolution. The filmmaker is famous for discovering new talents, something he prefers to do in almost every film.

Zhang Huiwen plays Dandan; Watch COMING HOME for free during the 10th Spring Film Festival at the Shang Cineplex, Shang Rila Plaza Mall from January 29-February 7, 2016.

Just like Zhang Zhi Yi and Gong Li, the director discovered another talent in the young Zhang Huiwen. She was also recruited from a dance troupe just like Zhang Zhi Yi although Huiwen has had to learn ballet for the role of Dan dan. In the novel, Dan dan is obsessed with ballet in particular their recital entitled The Red Detachment for Women. Huiwen had to train for a year in ballet to perfect the complex and difficult choreography.

Note to remind Yu; Watch COMING HOME for free during the 10th Spring Film Festival at the Shang Cineplex, Shang Rila Plaza Mall from January 29-February 7, 2016.

The power of writing is something that we take for granted in this multimedia world. The story of this film started from a successful novel by Geling Yan. And Yu when she lost her short term memory started writing notes on walls reminding her to ‘close the lights’ and other menial tasks. Though she could no longer recognize her husband’s face she knew his voice in his writings. This was the only way Lu could communicate with her. The written word in essence becomes our memory, our thoughts and aspirations.

Postscript: I was able to bring my father Joe Bautista and my Ninong Jimmy Chao to the 10th Spring film fest who thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Joe was able to correctly name the music played by Lu for his wife: “The Fisherman’s Song”. Director Zhang Yimou originally wanted a popular European 1930’s song a sophisticated professor of the time would be familiar with. He later changed his mind to a 1930s song all Chinese fans would be familiar with.

from left: Chen Daoming (Lu) & Gong Li (Yu); Watch COMING HOME for free during the 10th Spring Film Festival at the Shang Cineplex, Shang Rila Plaza Mall from January 29-February 7, 2016.

Lion Dancers amuse kids at Shang Plaza. Watch COMING HOME for free during the 10th Spring Film Festival at the Shang Cineplex, Shang Rila Plaza Mall from January 29-February 7, 2016. Photo by Jude Bautista

My brother Noel Bautista is our amateur Sinologist having studied in Beijing for a year. He currently lives in Wellington, New Zealand and he was able to visit us over the holidays with his young, pretty wife Rachelle Hazel. He had to go back to NZ and was not able to attend the fest. Noel often talked about how Deng Xiao Ping was able to open up China to economic reforms and policies that have led to the financial juggernaut we see today.

left: COMELEC Chairman Andy Bautista declares Noel Bautista a winner in his married life. Watch COMING HOME for free during the 10th Spring Film Festival at the Shang Cineplex, Shang Rila Plaza Mall from January 29-February 7, 2016. Photo by Jude Bautista

Zhang Huiwen plays Dandan; Watch COMING HOME for free during the 10th Spring Film Festival at the Shang Cineplex, Shang Rila Plaza Mall from January 29-February 7, 2016.

Gong Li (Feng Wanyu); Watch COMING HOME for free during the 10th Spring Film Festival at the Shang Cineplex, Shang Rila Plaza Mall from January 29-February 7, 2016.

Mao’s poster was one of the symbols that sparked the Cultural Revolution. Watch COMING HOME for free during the 10th Spring Film Festival at the Shang Cineplex, Shang Rila Plaza Mall from January 29-February 7, 2016.

Jude Thaddeus Bautista

I'm a professional writer and photographer for over a decade. The subjects that I cover vary from entertainment to film, music, travel, lifestyle and even sports. Stories and pictures can come from anywhere, this is my way of sharing them with you.

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[…] for granted, not just by the youth but Filipinos in general. That’s why yearly events such as the PASINAYA where these activities come together are so important. Include Cinemalaya, Cinema One, Virgin […]

[…] for granted, not just by the youth but Filipinos in general. That’s why yearly events such as the PASINAYA where these activities come together are so important. Include Cinemalaya, Cinema One, Virgin […]

Our Lost Culture in 3 Stars And A Sun | Text and Photos by Jude Bautista